


Help Me Make It Through The Night

by Meduseld



Category: DCU, Green Lantern (Comics), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Awkwardness, But his pop culture knowledge went into stasis in the nineties because space, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Feelings, First Time, Hal is a meme loving dork, I wanted this to be lighthearted but it's not, M/M, Seeing as the League seems to exist and Hal is there, of a sort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-19
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-11-16 02:57:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11244900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meduseld/pseuds/Meduseld
Summary: The one where Barry invites Hal to dinner in 1x18. It only goes slightly less awry.





	Help Me Make It Through The Night

Barry’s not going to fifth wheel it, even if it kills him. And it just might. The only women in his recent contacts are Iris, Felicity, Caitlin and Linda.

He can’t trust that Caitlin isn’t secretly plotting his demise, and calling Linda for this just might make her start. Everyone else has drifted out of touch at some point during the nine month coma slash superhero origin thing.

Well, there’s Diana but she’s. Diana.

And then his phone beeps. _‘hey. whats this game of thrones thing?? asking for a friend’_

Barry smiles.

~~

Bee related near-death experiences should, in theory, make Barry want to curl up somewhere warm and bug free. As it is, he really wants to go out to dinner and pretend everything’s normal and okay.

The day has just brought to light how much deceit and uncertainty he’s been living with.

And he has a date, more or less. He can’t ditch. That’s what he says in the ridiculous black luxury car, complete with driver, Ray has somehow rented last minute when he and Felicity won’t stop insisting that they can cancel.

Barry gets maybe half a minute of beautiful silence before they start that weird hive mind babble thing, asking about who it is. He tunes them out and the minute they stop he tumbles out of the car as fast as he can without giving himself away.

Outside the restaurant doors he can hear Iris laughing, and his heart flips. He’d _missed_ that sound; how long has it been since he heard it?

The reason for it is obvious.

Hal’s draped over the bar like the James Dean knockoff he is, in a tie-free suit, halfway through a story: “So of course, we drive the three hours to the beach. Least we could do, right? And then-”

Barry isn’t sure why, but he practically jumps into Hal’s arms, and almost purrs when they immediately wrap around him.

He hasn’t seen Hal in four months, and he’s alive and well and warm.

Barry doesn’t have to worry about him being helpless against the Reverse Flash. Or working with him. He’s so relieved he could cry. Instead, he pulls his head from Hal’s shoulder and looks him in the eye.

“How do you not know about Game of Thrones?”

Hal bursts into that high pitched cackle of his, the one Barry didn’t believe was real at first. “Well _excuse_ me, Princess. I only spend about six months pla- _State_ side a year. And not even at a stretch”

“But you will quote a Zelda cartoon?” “I have to make you believe I’m cool somehow”

“I have never believed that.” Iris clears her throat. “Barry?” And that’s when he realizes that his arms are still loosely around Hal, and that everyone is probably thinking that they’re something that they aren’t.

Barry’s just been a little starved for affection and Hal’s chill to a point that’s worrying. That’s the story he’s sticking to, anyway, no matter how handsome he might think Hal is. On that road there be dragons.

Instead he mumbles something about asking Hal to join them for dinner and flicks his eyes to his shoes.

“Well! Don’t that just beat all” Hal beams at her, and flicks his eyes to Barry, the way he does in combat: _I’m here. What’s the plan?_

“Okay, you’ve been hanging around Clark too much. ‘Don’t that just beat all’?” Hal winces theatrically.

“Yeah. He spent pretty much all of yesterday nagging me about not having an apartment”. “What? It makes no sense for you to have one.”

“Oh so you agree on that, but not Game of Thrones?” “That’s not the same thing! One -” “Felicity!” shouts Felicity, and everyone stares.

“I mean I’m Felicity. Which is meant to be an introduction, because we haven’t met and you were getting side tracked in a cute couple-y way, not to imply that you’re a couple! If you’re not, that is, because-” “That is in fact Felicity. And she’s like that” Iris says and the rest of the introductions go far more smoothly.

The maître d’ comes up to them, perfectly timed, and Hal pulls at his arm. “How do you want to play this?” he whispers and Barry realizes just what a huge mistake this was. He’s going to be asked about Hal for weeks. Iris will be upset that Barry’s apparently been hiding him. And Eddie might say something to Joe, oh God.

Some of that must show on his face because Hal’s expression softens. “Hey. We can keep ‘em guessing. And I’m here for _you_ , okay?” After that, Barry’s willing to concede he might have a tiny crush. Just a small one.

~~

“Admit your guilt, Bear” “Fine, it was my idea to go bowling, but-” “Nope! Your idea, Barry”.

“But I bet he wasn’t the one that got you thrown out” interjects Felicity.

“No, that was Billy. See, Billy’s a sweet kid but he’s…immature. And strong. Like crazy, body builder strong. So, we finally get the shoes on and get to our lane and Billy insists on going first-” Hal’s phone suddenly blares out Uptown Girl, interrupting the story of The Bowling Incident.

He pokes a finger at the screen and shrugs. “Not important. Where was I?” This time Barry’s phone goes off, and he scrambles for it, dropping the spoon he was poking at course seven, some innovative unpronounceable fusion dish that tastes like feet.

He doesn’t even manage hello, instead a musical feminine voice trills “Captain Jordan, ple-” before Hal pulls the phone out of his fingers. “Aya, _sweetheart_ , am I correct in assuming that you’re going to call every other phone at this table and then the restaurant if I hang up on you? Even though I’m _sure_ this isn’t an emergency?”

He turns to Barry and winks, then laughs. “You, _darling_ , are in trouble” he says as he glides up and away, squeezing Barry’s shoulder as he moves. Barry gives the table an apologetic smile and Felicity tears her eyes from Hal’s retreat to give him a thumbs up.

“So Bear. Any reason you’ve never mentioned him?” Iris is trying to sound playful, but Barry can hear the real hurt underneath.

It’s one thing to have the feeling that the men in your life are keeping things from you, it’s another to have proof.

“I…wanted to keep him to myself” he says, and he’s slightly horrified to find that it’s true.

Felicity tries to deflect her attention, asking about STAR Labs and how cool it must be to work with Wells. That hits Barry like a punch to the gut.

Here he is smiling and laughing and somewhere so is Wells, a _murderer_.

He’s three paces away from the table before he realizes he’s stood up.

He’s not sure where the door he’s picked leads, but Hal’s behind it, grinning at Barry’s phone. “Hey. Sorry. Kids today, huh? She might as well hold a boom box blaring Don’t You Forget About Me under my window, ‘cause that’s basically all this was”. Barry puts his face in his hands.

“Hey. What’s going on?” Hal’s face is all worry and big brown eyes and Barry tells him everything.

Hal scoops him up and swears that he’ll do anything, everything, that they’ll get Wells. His right hand cups Barry’s head and he can feel the ring. It’s a promise Hal can keep.

“I’m sorry” Barry whispers. “And tonight- I’m just sorry. I probably put you on the spot”. Hal goes very, very still.

Then he sighs.

“Tonight’s not the night to have that conversation.”

Barry can feel his face turn red.

He starts to pull away, but Hal’s hands don’t let go of his elbows. “That doesn’t mean that I don’t want to have it. I really do”.

Slowly, Barry puts his forehead against Hal’s and closes his eyes. It’s as good as a kiss.

Better, actually. More intimate.

“Uh? I’m so, _so_ sorry, but Cisco called and they need you because. Things. Urgent things”. Felicity says from the doorway and Barry’s eyes snap open.

Hal’s expression is measured. _Say the word_. But Barry shakes his head.

There’s no point in risking Hal’s identity, which would be spelled out to Felicity and Ray the minute Green Lantern showed up.

And it would tell Wells that Barry’s got dangerous friends. Plus, Ray’s already shouted “I can come with!” from the doorway; his back’s covered.

Hal nods, then kisses his forehead. And steps away so Barry can speed off.

~~

After the whole bee in the lab thing, which leaves Barry more unsettled than before, Ray tells him that Felicity texted.

She’s having ice cream with Hal. They’re on park bench, Felicity wearing Hal’s jacket and her feet on his leg. Her heels are nowhere to be seen.

“Hey gang! Were the other courses good? At least less…feet-y?” Ray greets them.

They look at each other, slightly wide eyed. “Uh. We didn’t exactly…get there”.

“Iris and Eddie?” Barry ventures, and their winces answer. He tries to shrug it off, but a lot of that is on him.

“Hey.” Hal says and pats the space next to him.

When Barry collapses into it, he offers his half eaten ice cream. Salted caramel.

“It’s like you read my mind”.  

~~

He’s pretty sure there’s more robot bees in his future. And more lies, too. But there’s also that conversation with Hal. From where he’s sitting that’s not such a bad deal.  


End file.
